Okie dokie
At the risk of making an @$$ out of myself, I thought I'd start something that might help out some of the new guys and even some of the not so new ones who have a mind to try something new. I'd also like to have you all join in and give some personal insights to whichever you prefer and why.
Seems that there is always a thread asking which is better, tab or glove. Always lots of opinions for both sides. Personally, I'm a tab guy but I started with a glove as a kid and still have a couple laying around. I thought I'd post a couple pictures of things that I feel make or break either option and some things that get overlooked.
First off, regardless of tab or glove, I feel there is nothing that beats cordovan leather. Secondly, cordovan is NOT just a leather dye color. Real cordovan is both a process and type. It is made from horse hide and comes from the rear quarters only. It is also a tanning process used on this hide and it results in a very durable, slick leather that exceeds all others for wear and shine. The best leather shoes in the world are made from cordovan and so are the best tabs and gloves.
Other products like calf hair, plastic, vinyl or deer skin all have certain properties that make them special but in my opinion, none provide the across the board qualities that cordovan does. Calf hair is slicker when new but does not last. Plastic and vinyl are waterproof and slick but can be stiff and honestly, I just prefer the feel of leather over plastic. Deerskin is the softest, most pliable but wears poorly, grooves easily and is not slick like cordovan.
So, for some pictures.
Here are two Bateman cordovan tabs and a cordovan glove. Not certain but the glove may be by Bateman also. The tab on the left has been shot only a little bit while the tab on the right was misplaced for a few days. The tab on the right has been used for thousands of shots and is about 4 years old. These things just get better and slicker with age. Note also that while the well used tab is curled somewhat, there is not really any sign of a groove that is normal on other leathers.
The glove has not been very heavily used compared to my tab. I got it with the intent to use it and give the glove a fair try and have shot it a fair bit but in the end, went back to my tab for reasons I'll get to later.
Why do I like a tab????
Well, to me they feel more natural. I like being able to wear one over a regular glove when hunting and I like having my fingers free for other things. But mainly, I can feel my anchor better with a PROPERLY fitting tab than with a glove.
I actually started this whole topic because on another thread currently going, one of the most common comments against a tab is that people say they can't feel their anchor as well and that is simply not my experience at all.
The biggest reason is that people buy the wrong size tab to begin with. Here is a picture of my hand and two tabs. As you can see, I've got pretty good sized hands.
In all sorts of work gloves, dress gloves or whatever, I need at LEAST extra large size due to long fingers. Know what size tab I shoot???? Medium. I can use a large tab and that is what is on the left but I prefer the medium.
Here is a pic of what it looks like when I'm holding the string with a medium tab.
And here is with a large tab.
Now, look at them and think about what you would feel when shooting. The medium tab would feel like you are shooting with bare fingers as far as how you feel your anchor. Nothing but fingertips against your face. With the large tab, you would feel the edge of the leather against your face and it might feel like your anchor is being forced away from your face. So I can see how people say that but honestly, to me, all gloves do the same thing with the exception of a glove that has the tips of your fingers exposed and there doesn't seem to be many made that way.
Here is a picture of my cordovan glove. Note the slight groove in each finger stall. Note also that the grooves are not all in line with each other. To me, this is one small advantage of a tab that helps provide a smoother release. I will be fair and say that the groove is not so much a property of the leather as it is of the glove. The leather is the same in the glove and the tab but in the glove it is formed to your finger and forced to bend in the crease of your knuckle. I believe this is what causes the crease more so than the string. Either way, it's not a big deal since your fingers line up on the string when you pull but I believe that for a guy like me who is not a crack shot that a tab provides just a little bit of forgiveness in my release that is lacking in a glove. I think that sometimes, if you don't get your fingers aligned exactly right, you can get a bad release with the glove that wouldn't have happened with the tab. I also expect that guys who shoot all the time with a glove and are good shots have simply learned to be more precise in their finger placement whether they realize it or not.
Well, this is already getting long so I'll post one more picture for now that shows something I feel is important in the design of a glove for good comfort. That is that the seams of the glove should NOT be along the sides like a work glove but should be along the top where they are completely out of the way to avoid finger pinch.
This particular glove is very comfortable to shoot but to make it perfect (as far as a glove can get anyway... :D ) I'd have to cut the tips out so my finger tips stuck out just a little bit. That way it would allow the same sense of feel I get with my tab. But if I did that, I might have to admit that a glove is as good as a tab and I can't do that can I??
So, whadaya think?
Who wants to brag up their glove and show some pictures???
How about some of you tab guys jumping in too???
Lets start the year off with a good honest debate and keep the swords sharp. But remember, "play nice".
Topic: Tab vs glove pro's and con's list thread (Read 1934 times)
